"I understand," Mother said. "But you can't let this affect your life in such a grand way. Do not stop what needs done."
I nodded. "Alright. Once things are ready, we shall wed."
"Wonderful! The wedding is in three days time!"
"Three days!" I screeched.
"Yes. I just spoke with the seamstress and your gown is ready. We simply have to wait on guests and food. Three days. The banquet hall and chapel are already being decorated." A smile spread across my sneaky mothers face.
"You weren't going to let me say no, were you?"
"Of course not, you silly girl. I will see my only daughter married before I die."
"Mother! You are not dying anytime soon."
"Perhaps not, but I also want to see grandchildren. I want a little prince and princess to run through our castles."
"Oh for heavens sake, mother!"
She turned and traipsed out of the room.
"Well, we were just talked into an early wedding."
"We? You agreed with her, James!"
He shrugged his shoulders and smiled.
"You were in on it, weren't you?"
"Perhaps. She's right though. We can't let the Guild continue to stop us from living our lives."
"We can't ignore them either. They attacked the castle. They murdered almost the entire household. How can we jut move on from that?"
"We just have to," Charlene said, holding my hand.
"I've just never dealt with such brutality and hate before. And it angers me to my core."
Tears streamed down my face as I stood to get dressed.
"Where's Elizabeth?" I asked, looking about.
"I'm not sure. I haven't seen her in some time."
"When was the last time?" My heart slammed against my chest as I tried to think back to the last time I saw my dear friend.
"It must have been when the seamstress was here."
"That was almost three days ago, right?"
"I believe so."
My mouth went dry as I ran from the room. Turning toward the stairs I ran as fast as my legs would move. The felt so weak and shaky. Almost as though they didn't want to go find her. At landing of the staircase I made a sharp left and ran along the banister toward the room she'd moved to just last week. The door was cracked. I reached for the knob, still running, and slid in something wet. Scrambling to my feet, I threw myself against the door. Nobody occupied the area. The bed hadn't been slept in and there were no signs anyone had been there that morning. Glancing down at my nightdress, I let out a sharp scream. Blood covered the front of me from where I fell and my legs. That was the only thing out of place. A trail of blood leading out the door.
"Oh my!" Charlene clasped her hand to her mouth when she say me.
I brushed hair away from my face, streaking blood across. The sticky, wet liquid felt odd against my skin.
"What happened?" James asked, pausing at the door.
I could only shake my head. Grabbing a candelabra off the table, I used a torch to light the candles and hurried from the room.
The dark red streak went down the hall and around a corner. A piece of soft, pink fabric stuck to a nail fluttered in the breeze. My stomach flipped about as my heart felt as though it sunk to my toes. I bent down and picked up the cloth. There were tiny flowers on it, the same as Elizabeth's favorite day dress.
"It's part of her dress," I cried out. "Why didn't we notice her missing? How did we not?"
"It has been such a mess the past few days with the guild attacking, it's nobody's fault."
"She was my friend! Where is she?"
I hurried around the door and into a large sitting room. Propped up in the chair, facing the wall, was my friend. I could see from the glow of the candle light that her beautiful hair was matted with blood. I choked back a sob, covering my mouth as I stepped forward.
"Evelyn, please don't go in. Allow me."
I shook my head and continued. "I have to see her. I should have noticed she was missing."
I tentatively reached out my hand and touched her shoulder. She slumped forward and fell to the ground.
I yelped and jumped back at the sight of her body tumbling down. Her eyes stared up at the ceiling in terror, her mouth twisted in a grotesque scream that never got out, and her beautiful skin was a horrifyingly ashen color.
I dropped to my knees, letting go of the candles, and sobbed uncontrollably. I grasped at her shoulder, shaking the lifeless body.
"Please! Elizabeth! Wake up! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Oh God, I'm so sorry! Elizabeth."
Charlene gasped and dropped beside me. She reached out and touched Elizabeth's arm. "She's so cold."
"Ladies, please, I think it best we get the guards."
"When did this happen?" I wailed.
"I don't know, Evelyn."
I fell atop her body, hugging her, hoping everything was a bad dream. She had to get up. She couldn't be dead. She was one of my bridesmaids. She was to be married.
I opened the front of her gown, reaching about her neck.
"What are you doing?" Charlene asked, sniffling most unlady like.
"The necklace. Where is the necklace?"
"What?"
"The one given to her. The pearl. It's missing! If we find the necklace, we find who murdered Elizabeth!"
"Guards! Palace guards!" James shouted down the hall.
The thundering of footsteps could be heard coming from everywhere.
"Remove the ladies body to the barn and have every room searched for a pearl necklace. I want all pearl necklaces brought to me! Immediately!"
The guards nodded and ran off. Except for two. Two entered the room and delicately picked up Elizabeth's dead body, carrying her out of my sight.
I will make whoever did this pay dearly!
Chapter 36
I sat in James's study, the drapes drawn closed and a fire crackling. My mind steeped with anger as the tears fell down my cheeks. There was no way Elizabeth could be dead. She was though. She was gone. My friend was gone.
The guards began to file in shortly after I took up seat at the desk. The head guard deposited three pearl necklaces in front of me. I picked each up, carefully examining each one before shaking my head.
"No. None of these are the right one."
"Yes, ma'am." He turned and hurried out.
James unstopped a bottle of malt and poured two glasses. I gladly accepted one from him, sipping at the amber liquid, ignoring the burning sensation as it slid to my belly. My throat was on fire and it sat in my stomach heavy and angry. I didn't care though. It warmed my trembling body.
Staring into the fire, I tried to imagine life without Elizabeth by my side. How was I to marry without one of my chief ladies?
"There are more." James placed his hand on my shoulder, drawing me from my thoughts.
I turned to the desk and examined the necklaces. None of them matched. My heart sunk to the pit of my stomach as the hours ticked away.
I waved them off as I finished off the glass of malt. "Another."
"Are you..."
"I said another!"
"Alright." James didn't question me further. He simply poured the drink and stepped back.
"Evelyn, this isn't the way to go about this." Charlene reached for the glass, but I smacked her hand away.
"This is how I am going to go about things for now. Until I find who did this, I will sulk and be sullen. I shall not marry until the culprit responsible for Elizabeth's death is located."
"What if it wasn't anyone here?" Charlene asked.
James stepped forward, placing the decanter on the table. "It very well could have been The Guild."
I shook my head. "No. No this was not them."
"How are you so certain?"
"They are neat and methodical. This was messy and planned."
"What?"
"The Guild would never have left a trail of blood like t
hat. They wouldn't have killed Elizabeth differently than the rest of the staff." I stood, glass in hand, and strode to the window that over looked the area where the remains were found. "Let's not forget that the Guild members never made their way inside. All of their killing happened in the back near the kitchen."
James pursed his lips and furrowed his brows for a moment. "You are right. They never came inside the castle."
"So, logically thinking, it had to be someone inside. It had to be someone staying here."
"You know what, Evelyn, I think you might be right," Charlene said, pacing about the room as we all waited for more guards.
"Of course I'm right! I know I'm right. Now when we find who has her necklace, we'll find the evil doer who murdered the dear Elizabeth."
"How can you be sure?"
"She had not taken that trinket off since..."
"Since when?" James prodded.
"Since the Earl, John Stewart gave it to her."
Charlene nodded.
I stood, the drink nearly tipping over in my hurry. "How well do you know the earl?"
"I grew up with him. He's my father's sisters son. A very reputable man."
"Is he married?" I queried.
"I thought he was betrothed to the one of the lady's at court. I must have been wrong if he has been seen canoodling with Elizabeth."
"Is it possible that he was being a scoundrel?"
James furrowed his brows once again, causing forehead to wrinkle as he sat. The guards entered once again with a handful of pearl necklaces and placed them in front of us.
"How many pearls are in this castle?"
"We've finished searching the first floor, ma'am."
"I will help," I muttered, glancing over the necklaces.
Elizabeth's wasn't there.
I strode from my chair to the hallway. Heading up the stairs, I went from door to door, peering in each room. The last door though didn't budge when I turned the handle. Grasping it, I turned and slammed my shoulder against the door. It never budged.
"Who's room is this?" I questioned the guard.
"Um, that is the Earl of Buchan, John Stewart."
"John Stewart? Open this door. Immediately!"
The guard fumbled with his keys as he searched for the one to Stewart's chambers.
"Hurry, man!" I urged.
"Calm down, Evelyn."
"No. Not until I get into this room."
The guard approached with the key, turning until a click sounded. Turning the knob this time the door swung open. I glanced about the empty dwellings. The bed sheets were messed, and his clothing strewn about. A desk sat overturned and a chair rested against the fireplace.
"I want the castle and grounds searched! Nobody rests until John Stewart is located!" James shouted to the guards who turned from the room.
With the help of James, I picked the desk up. Opening the drawers I shuffled the papers about. Picking up one, it was a letter from the someone who simply referred to himself as A. He thanked John for the information given. I handed the stack of papers over to James, who yelled in rage.
"He's a traitor!"
"I'm sorry."
"I trusted him! He is my cousin!"
I shook my head. "He's a spy apparently."
Beneath a few books in the bottom drawer I found what I was looking for, Elizabeth's necklace. The beautiful pearl was covered in blood. I dropped to my knees and sobbed, holding the precious trinket in my hands. Charlene picked up one of the books and flipped through.
"You may want to read this."
She handed the book to me. It was a diary of everything John had received as payment for helping this A.
"I don't understand. Whoever A is has been paying John off to report back on everything happening at the castle. There aren't any secrets about the kingdom. No disclosure of military strategies. It started a few days before we arrived."
"The Guild."
"Perhaps, but why would he kill Elizabeth? There is no reason for her to die."
"He's not the man I thought he was," James mumbled, flipping through the diary. "Wait. Here. He mentions Elizabeth here."
"He does? What did he say?" I asked, reaching for the book
James shook his head and pulled the book away. "You don't need to read this."
"Yes, I do."
"It's not very kind."
Taking a deep breath I continued holding my hand out for the book. Reluctantly, James handed it over. Closing my eyes for a moment, I opened them and started from the only place one could when reading. At the top.
Today the silly hand maiden seemed enthusiastic upon receiving the necklace. I didn't have the heart to tell the girl it meant nothing. A simply trinket I stole from a foreign dignitary some time ago. What troubles me though is her thoughts on marriage and children. She assumes that this means we are betrothed. I must stop this nonsense before it spreads about the court. I have been wanting to try something new. Something most sinister. I fear if I'm found out the king will surely have my head. However, if he finds out my deal with this most evil of groups, he may very well have my head anyway.
I threw the book onto the table and stormed out of the room, still clutching the worthless trinket he'd given to Elizabeth. The thing she cared so much for and saw so much in. It meant nothing. Not a damned thing to a man who she had hoped would ask for her hand.
I searched the rest of the rooms in hope the coward hid somewhere. I screamed out in rage at the end of the hallway, gripping the edge of the windowsill so hard, with the necklace still hand, hard enough to cause my skin to tear and bleed. I watched as the blood slid down the side of the wall, dripping to the floor.
"Your hand." James held it up, examining the small cut.
"Naught but a scratch," I mumbled, tearing off a piece of my night dress and wrapping it around the wound. "I shall be fine."
"My surgeon..."
"Is not needed. I shall survive with such a small blemish upon my skin."
I turned around and watched the flurry of guards running about the halls. Nobody seemed to know what to do next. I didn't even know.
"What about secret passages?" Charlene asked, opening another door to a small room.
"Pardon?" James asked.
"Passages. Somewhere the earl could use to get about the castle undetected."
"Of course there are passages. None that he would know about."
"You grew up together. He played here as a child, did he not?"
"Yes. What does that have to do with anything?"
"He had time to explore the castle and grounds. He could very well have found staircases to get around."
James's eyes grew large as he rushed back to the chamber that John Stewart used as lodgings. He went to the wall nearest the bed and pulled on a sconce. The wall creaked and moved backward enough for a grown person to squeeze by.
A terrible odor emanated from the crack.
"Oh for heavens sake!" Charlene called out, scurrying from the room.
"That smell."
"Death," James said, moving forward.
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and followed close behind, grabbing a torch from the wall before vanishing in the crevice.
A narrow hall extended beyond the wall before curving around a corner. James led the way, peeking around the wall.
"All is clear."
He continued along before descending a set of stairs.
"Where are we in the castle?" I questioned.
"We should be near the kitchen."
"The kitchen?"
James didn't answer. He stopped and turned his head away.
"What?"
"I've found John."
I peered around his body and saw the rotting corpse of John Stewart, Earl of Buchan slumped against a wall. A dart stuck in his neck.
"The Guild got to him before we could."
James shook his head, ushering be backward
. "Why would they kill someone who was aiding them?"
"He took it upon himself to divert from the path they had. He killed Elizabeth. She was never part of their plan."
"How can you be sure?" he asked.
"I just know. I saw how they worked. How conniving and unforgiving they are."
"What now?"
"I-I don't know."
We emerged from the wall, informing the guards of our discovery.
"He's dead?"
"Unfortunately. I can't watch him suffer on the scaffold now," I growled, a solitary tear sliding down my cheek.
"He will be interred in his family's chapel."
"He should be burned. He doesn't deserve a burial!"
"Calm yourself, Evelyn. He's dead. He didn't get away with anything."
"It's not fair."
"Life isn't fair, dear girl," Mother said, entering the room. "I saw Elizabeth. The poor thing. I'm not sure how her mother will handle this."
"Oh poor Angeline," I wailed.
"She shall be fine. Her daughter will return home after the wedding."
"A wedding feast and funeral bells," I said bitterly.
"Yes. We will attend before you go on progress to the northern countries."
"My what?" I asked.
"You and James will go on progress after the wedding. Both of our countries will meet the new prince and princess of each country."
"Do I not get time to mourn?"
"You can mourn as you travel."
I sighed heavily and pushed past the impossible woman. She didn't understand. She would never understand.
Chapter 38
The day after my wedding we left for England. Elizabeth's body returned days before. Her burial would be on her family's property in three days time. Angeline agreed to wait until we could return. I missed her. She was supposed to be part of my wedding festivities. I'd always wanted her there. She is a remarkable woman who stayed by mother's side when they were younger.
The carriage bumped along the road, leaving behind the castle and Scotland. As we crossed the border between the two countries the lush greenery gave way to the darker colors of the English countryside. The pelted our caravan of hundreds of people, causing mud and rather deep puddles along the way. I watched as more than one time the carriage carrying mother, Charlene, and myself got stuck and had to be pushed out. The horses heads hung low as the spirits amongst the servants was low. I didn't have the energy or the will to try and cheer them up. The weather was fitting considering why we headed back toward home.
The Defender's Daughter: The Defender's Book 2 Page 21
